Brewing change as an inclusive employer

321 Coffee teamed up with Lenovo to outfit its roasting facilities with accessible technology and infuse its operations with AI—boosting efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing workplace independence for employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

As a young startup, 321 Coffee had ambitious goals. Partnering with Lenovo for the last several years, the company has built a full-scale roastery powered by ThinkEdge servers, scaled operations, and is now automating key day-to-day business activities with AI. In collaboration with Lenovo, 321 Coffee is growing into a major coffee brand while promoting greater inclusivity in the workplace.

The challenge

• •       Create opportunities for people with disabilities to enter the workforce
• •       Expand a thriving coffee business by building a roastery accessible for people with physical and intellectual disabilities

The solution

• •       Partnered with Lenovo for technology and mentorship
• •       Deployed Lenovo ThinkEdge servers to control and optimize every roast in real time
• •       Enabled Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption through Lenovo AI PCs, migration support, and employee training

The outcome

• •       Creates new employment opportunities for people with disabilities
• •       Empowers workers with disabilities to be more independent
• •       Helps 321 Coffee to scale and diversify its operations